Hi guys!I don't post often on here, but when I transitioned from 4.0 to 5.0 (failed structures in 4.0 without enough time to re-take it) I went through and read a lot of the pass posts to get some ideas about how I needed to approach taking two new exams that basically covered everything again all at once.

That being said, I took PDD 2 months ago and failed it (one section according to the score report), then took PPD and didn't get to finish the test due to a pipe bursting in the testing facility and being evacuated which was super fun and depressing all at once.

Evaluating how I felt on both exams (beyond the major WOMP WOMP of just not immediately passing them) my takeaway is this-

FIRST ROUND:- Amber Videos- Gang Chen practice exams

This wasn't a terrible bundle, but after taking the tests I realized I sorely discounted how many actual details and such would be on the exams. I did appreciate that there was less "architecture trivia" than 4.0 and more thoughtful questions to work through.

SECOND ROUND - success for PPD (I take PDD this week):- Amber Videos (refresh on topics I felt weak in)- Gang Chen practice exams (just to get more questions)- Hyperfine Assignments & Case Study (this was huge, it got me to really dig into some areas I was missing knowledge in, at least ARE specific knowledge and the assignments are enjoyable in a way that trying to organize to study on my own is not)- DesignerHacks practice tests (have 30 mins on a lunch break? Do a practice exam. Have 10 mins before dinner is ready? Do a practice exam. Can stay an hour late at the office before heading home? Take a practice exam.)

I have to give an MVP award to Hyperfine though, there were many things on my test that I felt I got correct because I had spent 30 mins down a rabbithole researching something from the assignments. They're inexpensive and I believe genuinely will compliment whatever else you're studying. Amber is also very good, this for me is a good baseline- but I needed *more* than just the videos. There are so many posts out there that are saying how NCARB gives all the books you need to study, which is great, but if you're like me where you're working (probably too much) and you have 10 years of real world experience under your belt, it's hard to just sit down and read a text book without a plan. Using Amber & Hyperfine gave me enough of a "plan" that I could utilize the books effectively.

Closing comments - for PPD in specific, brushing up on building orientation and design strategies for Cold/Temperate/Hot-Humid/Hot-Arid was important. I had a lot of questions that touched on this from building placement strategies to shading and heating/cooling, the whole gambit.

Now just gotta get PDD done and I can stop making it my life's work to always be studying for these things! Good luck to everyone!

Anob wrote:Congrats !!! You were really on a roll. Also, noticed that you passed PDD.

Did Amber videos really help all that much, in comparison to just reading and researching the content?

It depends, right? Are you better at just self-directed reading for comprehension vs. video type walkthrough? There are a lot of examples that Ermann gives that helped me grasp it beyond just "the right answer to a question" that I don't think I get from just reading text, unless i'm already strong in that area. It's also a very easy refresh for all the Client-Owner-Contractor stuff, I didn't read anything additional on those items, just the videos.

When I first started studying it was a really good baseline and got me on a good track for content to cover. I think it's useful but wouldn't just rely on that.